Rahul Gandhi has shared a video capturing his July 8 visit to paddy fields in Madina village of Haryana's Sonepat on social media.
The about 12-minute YouTube video shows him having a conversation with farmers and their families, ploughing the fields, planting paddy saplings and later breaking bread with the farmers on a string cot.
"Farmers are the strength of India," he tweeted in Hindi, sharing a short clip from the video. "In Sonepat, Haryana, I met two farmers -- Sanjay Malik and Tasbir Kumar. They are childhood best friends and have been farming together for many years." "Together with them, we helped in the fields, sowed paddy, drove a tractor, and discussed many things. The women farmers of the village gave us love and respect like their own family members, and brought homemade food.
"The farmers of India are honest and sensible - they know their hard work and also recognise their rights. When needed, they stand firm against black laws and also raise their right for demands of MSP and insurance. If we listen to them, understand their point of view, many problems of the country can be solved," Gandhi added.
The Congress also said on Twitter, "Farmers have a huge contribution in uniting India - the grains they produce are part of every plate of the country, but their 'tapasya' does not get the respect it deserve".
He spent time with them, listened to them and understood their struggles, problems and grievances, he said.